Australia to target Proteas' spinner

They belted Graeme Swann into retirement, now Australia will look to dent the confidence of South African spinner Robin Peterson.

The Proteas' fearsome pace attack is headlined by Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn, No 1 and No 2 in the ICC's Test bowling rankings.

But their search for a game-changing Test spinner continues.

Peterson was chosen for the upcoming series against Australia ahead of legspinner Imran Tahir, who finished with match figures of 0-260 in Adelaide in 2012.

He is a left-arm finger spinner who has played most of his international cricket in coloured clothes, managing 14 Tests in a career that started in 2003.

David Warner suggested Australia would "respect" Peterson, who snared match figures of 6-171 when the two sides last met at the WACA in 2012.

But the hard-hitting opener made no secret of the fact his side wants to pile pressure on the chirpy 34-year-old.

"Robin Peterson is a bit 'out there' and likes to get into verbal contests. Sometimes, as a batter, if they've got that chip on their shoulder we're willing to take them down a bit more," Warner said yesterday.